Engine starting device.



H. N. NORTON.

ENGINE STARTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.H. 1915.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

H. N. NORTON.

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' APPLICATION FILED AUG.H. I915. 1,293,886. Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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H. N. NORTON.

ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FlLED Ausm, 19x5.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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H. N. NORTON.

ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. H, 1915. 1,293,886. Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED man. 1915.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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HORA'IIO N. NORTQN, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

Application filed August 11, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORATIO N. NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine Starting Devices, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the .accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in engine starting devices and more particularly to devices of this character which are operated by a fluid which is in turn actuated by compressed air.

An object of the invention is to provide a fluid motor for starting the engine, which motor may also be utilized for returning the operating fluid to the compressed air tank and for compressing the air for storing power to be subsequently used in starting the engine.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a fluid operated-motor of the above character which may be directly connected to the engine when operated as a motor for starting the engine and which is connected through a reduction gear mechanism to the engine when the motor is operated as a pump for storing power.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means under the control of the operator for shifting the clutch mechanism, whereby the fluid motor may be operated either as a motor or a pump, which mechanism also operates automatically to shift the abutments of the motor, so that said motor may be operated in the reverse direction as a pump and vice versa.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a storage tank for the compressed air and fluid which operates the motor, which storage tank is provided with a movable piston separating the compressed air from the fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gear shifting mechanism which may be operated by the fluid through the action of the compressed air for shifting the gears.

These and other objects will in part be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Serial No. 44,890.

obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings which show .by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view showing more or less diagrammatically a motor vehicle having my improved starting device applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the fluid operated motor in a plane at right angles to the axis of the motor shaft;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation, showing the motor and the clutch mechanism between the motor and the engine shaft;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in plan and partly in section showing the clutch shifting mechanism and the mechanism for controlling the abutments of the pump;

Fig. 5 is a view in section through the pump, the mechanism for controlling the abutments and the clutch shifting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the pressure tank;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view through the gear shifting mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the same.

General structure.

I have shown my invention as applied to a motor vehicle having a body frame 1, supported by running wheels 2. Located in the frame is an engine 3, which operates directly the engine shaft 4. The engine shaft 4 is connected through a suitable gear changing mechanism, indicated at 5, with a shaft 6, which is connected through suitable differential gear mechanism to the wheels of the vehicle.

The engine is started by a starting device which is located at 7. Said starting device consists of a fluid operated motor, which is operated from fluid propelled by compressed air from a tank 8. The exhaust from the motor is led to a tank 9 and may be returned from this tank 9 to the tank 8 by the motor operating as a pump. The gears in the gear shifting mechanism are shifted by a gear shifting device 10, which is also actuated by fluid from the tank 8.

With this general reference to the essential parts of my invention, I will describe the various features more in detail.

Pressure tank.

The pressure tank indicated at 10, is

suitably mounted on the frame 1 of the moing piston 14. This sliding piston consists of a supporting web 15, having a hub 16. A retaining disk 17 is secured to the hub 16 by a stem 18, Which passes through the hub and is fastened therein by suitable nuts 19. A leather packing 20 is secured between the hub 16 and the disk 17. This packing is cup-shaped and the flange of the cup is held in contact with the inner wall of the cylindrical body portion 11 by a split spring metal ring at 21.

Said tank is provided with an intake pipe 22 and an outlet pipe 23. The actuating fluid is forced into the tank through the outlet pipe 23 and occupies the space at one side of the sliding piston 14. On the other side of the piston is compressed air which. tends to move the piston and deliver the operating fluid through the outlet pipe 23. This air .in the cylinder may be initially compressed by a suitable pump, indicated at P. This pump may be of the ordinary reciprocating type and actuated through suitable devices from the fiy-wheel 24 of the engine 3. The air is delivered by the pump through the pipe 25 to the intake pipe 22. I Said. pump may also be used for inflating tires, or for other purposes.

Through the" above mechanism. it will be understood that the operating fluid is stored in the tank 8 and the air on the opposite -side of the piston is compressed, whereby power is stored in said compressed air, which may be utilized to move the piston and thus force the operating fluid from the tank with a certain desired pressure.

Starting motor.

The. starting motor is shown in section in Figs. 2 and 5. This starting motor consists of a suitable casing 26, which has a concentric chamber 27. the outer wall of which is cylindrical and concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft of the motor.

This casing26 consists of an inner section 28 and an outer section 29 and these sections are bolted together by suitable bolts 30. Lo-

- cated in the chamber 27 is a rotating carrier 31. "This rotating carrier 31 is splined to operating shaft is in the form of a sleeve for reasons which will appear hereinafter.

Said rotating carrier 31 is provided with three equally spaced pistons 33. The carrier is formed with an'outwardly projecting portion having a seat for a hardened roller 34 and this projection, together with the roller, constitute the piston. Said piston is fixed relative to the carrier. The hardened roller bears on the outer cylindrical surface of the chamber 27. The inner section of the casing 26 has an inwardly projecting annular rib 35, which engages one side of the carrier, while the outer section of the carrier has a similar rib 36 engaging the other side of the carrier. These ribs, together with the side walls of the casing and the outer cylindrical surface of the chamber 27, form the operating chamber for the actuating fluid. The casing 26 is provided with opposed lateral projections 37, in each of which is a recess for an abutment 38. Each abutment is formed with a face 39,

which is coincident with the outer surface of the chamber 27 when the abutment is placed as shown in the upper part of Fig. 2. The hardened roller 34 will, therefore, slide by the abutment when so positioned, making contact with this face 39 thereof. If the abutment be positioned as shown at the lower part of Fig. 2, the roller will engage this face 39 and shift the abutment so as to pass the same. Eachabutment is carried by a short shaft 40 mounted in suitable bearings in the inner section 28 of the casing. On the outer end of said shaft 40 is a controlling cam 41. The inner section 28 of the casing is provided with a hub 42. Mounted on this hub is a controlling frame 43. Said controlling frame consists of a cross-head 44, carrying an arm having a roller 45 which engages the cam 41 for the iin It will be readily seen that the upper cross- Y head may yield, as shown in Fig. 4, to permit the abutment to be positioned as shown in Fig. 2 and this allows the piston to pass the abutment. This positioning of the abutment is accomplished by thepiston itself and as soon as the piston passes the abutment the Springs will force the roller 47 outwardly, thus shifting the cam 41 and turning the abutment so that it bears against the outer face of the carrier 31. It will readily be seen that the frame 43 may be angularly shifted from the line w-w, as shown in Fig. 4, to a line 1 and this shifting of the frame will reverse the abutments so that the motor may be'run in the opposite direction.

The chamber 27 is provided'with ports 51. These ports are connected with a segmental passage 52 formed in the inner section 28 of the casing and said passage. 52 is connected with the pipe 53. The chamber 27 is also provided with opposed ports 5-1 which are connected with a segmental passage 55 formed in the outer section 29 of the casing and this passage 55 is connected with a pipe 56. The pipe 56 leads to the exhaust tank 9. The pipe 53 is connected through a'pipe 57 with the tank 8. This pipe 57 has a check valve 58 and a controlling valve 59 which are of the ordinary construction. The check valve prevents the fluid from flowing backward in the pipe, While the controlling valve euts off the flow. There is also a by-pass pipe extending around the valves 58 and 59 and this by-pass pipe has a check valve 61, which prevents the flow of the fluid from the tank to the motor, but permits fluid to flow from the motor operated as a pump, to the tank. The purpose of these valves and the by-pass pipe will be made apparent later.

Clutch mechanism for connecting motor to engine.

The shaft for starting the engine is indicated at 62 of Fig. 5 of the drawings. 'lhis shaft maybe connected to the engine sha t t proper by any suitable manually controlled clutch. The shaft 32 of the starting motor is in line with the shaft 62. A sleeve 63 is keyed to the motor shaft and this sleeve carries the member 6% having a face clutch 64s which is adapted to engage a corresponding face clutch 65 rigid with the shaft 62. The member 64 has a sliding movement on the sleeve 63 and is splined so as to rotate therewith. An outer sleeve 66 is mounted on this member 6i and is held from endwise movement thereon by a flange at one end of the member 64 and a threaded collar-67 at the other end thereof. The sleeve 66 is free to rotate on this member 64, but is held from endwise movement thereon by the parts above stated. The sleeve 63 has a coneshaped friction surface 68, while the sleeve 66 has a cone-shaped friction surface 69. Thesleeve'66 is also "provided with an overhanging flange 70, which is formed withan internal gear Tl, a pinion 72 meshesswith this internal gear and also meshes witlra pinion '73 splined to the engine shaft 62. Extending through the hollow motor shaft 32 is a crank shaft i, which isprorided with.

a face clutch 75 adapted to engage the face clutch 65 on the shaft 62. This shaft 74 is for hand cranking the engine and performs no function when the motor is operated.

The member 64, carrying the sleeve 66, is slid endw-ise on the sleeve 63 by a yoke 76. The pump casing is mounted in a suitable frame extending outwardly from the engine casing and this yoke 76 is pivotally connect ed to this frame by a suitable pivot bolt 7 7 The pivot bolt 7 7 extends through the yoke and through the inturned perforated cars 78 on the frame. The sleeve 66 is formed with an annular groove 79 in its outer face and shoes 80 carried by the yoke run in this annular groove. A rod 81 is pivoted to the outer end of the yoke and this rod extends into a cylinder 82. A piston 83 is connected to the inner end of the rod and a spring 8t bears at one end against the piston and at the other end against the end of the cylinder. A pipe, 85, see Fig. 1, connects with a port 86 leading to this cylinder. When the pipe is open to the fluid pressure, the piston 83 will be forced to the right in Fig. 3, carrying with it the sleeve 63 which will cause the clutch faces 64 and 65 to become engaged and this directly connects the engine shaft to the shaft of the fluid motor. The yoke 7 6 has an arm 87 which is connected by a link 88 to the frame 43, which controls the abutments, so that, when the yoke is shifted, this frame will be shifted from the position shown in Fig. i, that is, with its center in the line zv-m to a position with its center in the line 2 ;I

In Fig. i of the drawings, I have shown the frame positioned with the clutch faces thrown into engagement and the motor shaft connected directly to the engine shaft. WVhen the controlling pipe leading from the tank 8 is opened to permit the fluid pressure to shift the clutch mechanism. the fluid pressure will also he admitted through the pipe 53 to'the motor. This causes the motor to rotate and start the engine. After the engine is started, the fluid pressure is shut off from the tank 8. The pipe 85 is opened to suitable exhaust and this permits the spring 82 to shift the yoke, so as to cause the clutch faces to be disengaged. This shiftin of the yoke carries the sleeve 66 to the left: as viewed in Fig. 5, and brings the cone-shaped friction surfaces into engagement. The

sleeve 66 is continuously geared to the shaft the motor, in the. opposite direction, and the motor wiil become a pump for returning the fluid from the tank 9 to the compression tank 8.

inasmuch as the pipe 85 is connected with the pipe 57, a lay-pass is proindedarocnd the check valve. 58 and con."

trolling valve 59 and-these valves will prevent the operating fluid from entering the cylinder 82 and shifting the clutch. The motor operated as a pump will force the fluid back into the compression tank. Inasmuch as the motor is operated through in termediate gearing, the power of compression' is greater than the power of the motor for'starting the engine.

When the compression tank reaches a predetermined pressure, indicating that the operating fluid has practically been returned thereto, then the shaft 62 may be disconnected from the engine shaftproper by the clutch above referred to and the combined motor and pumping unit allowed to remain idle. A suitable hand controlled valve 89 may be provided for controlling the admission of the fluid under pressure from the tank 8 to the pumping unit.

The gear shifting mechanism 10 is shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. This gear shifting mechanism consists of a caslng 89 having two independent cylinders 90 and 91. The casing is closed by end plates 92 and 93. Located in the cylinder 90 is a piston 94, which may be of any desired construction and this piston is fixed to a piston rod 95. Said piston rod is provided with a collar 96 against which the leather packing 1s pressed by a threaded nut or collar 97. This leather packing is so constructed as to form a tight joint to fiuid'admitted at either side of the piston. and freely slidable thereon is a sleeve 98. This sleeve has an outwardly projecting flange 99, which is adapted to engage a shoulder 100 formed in the inner wall of I the cylinder 90. Threaded into the sleeve '98 is a second adjustable sleeve 101. A spring 102 bears against the head of the sleeve 98 and against the end plate 92. This spring normally tends to hold the sleeve 98 forced inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 7that is, with the flange 99 bearing against the shoulder 100. The piston rod carries a projecting flange or washer 103,-

which is adapted to rest against the end of the sleeve 98 when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 7. On the other side of the piston 94 there is a sleeve 104,. which carries a flange 105 adapted to engage a shoulder 106 formed in the inner wall of the cylinder 90. This sleeve is provided with a piston packing 107 and also-with a second adj ustable inner threaded sleeve 108. A spring 109 bears against the sleeve 104 at one end and against the end plate 93 at its other end. This sleeve .104 is closed, as at 110, and is adapted to bear against the end of the piston.rod 95. The sleeve 98 at the other side of the central piston 94, carries a fluid tight piston 111, similar to the piston 107.

In the cylinder 91 there is a piston rod 112 Mounted on the piston rod which has a central piston 113, a sleeve 114, similar to the sleeve 98, and a spring 115 engages said sleeve .114 at one end and the end plate 92 at the other end. There is also a sleeve 116 on the other side of thepistoncylinder 90, at the left of the central pistion 94. A passage 120 leads from the valve chamber to the cylinder 91, at the left of the central piston 113. A passage 121 leads from this valve chamber to the cylinder 90 at the right of the central piston and a passage 122 leads to the cylinder 91 at the right of the piston 113. The valve 118 has a passage 123 which is adapted to be brought into register with any one of the passages 119, 120, 121 and 122, and when so positioned these passages are connectedwith an inlet 'port 124. v This inlet port 124 leads from a second valve chamber 125, which is controlled by a piston valve 126. The piston valve 126 is connected to a rod 127. This valve has an annular groove 128 formed in its outer face and a solid cylindrical sec tion 129. When the valve is positioned as shown in Fig. 7 the port-124 is closed to the supply and when thervalve is moved to the left, it will bring the annular groove 128 into register with said port, then this port is connected to the valvecham'ber and the valve chamber in turn is connected through the pipe 130 with the compression tank 8. Each of the passages 119, 120, 121 and 122 are connected with an exhaust chamber 131. A piston valve 132 controls these connections.

shown in Fig. 7, these connections are closed and .the passages are, therefore, disconnectv When this ed from the exhaust chamber. piston valve 132 is moved to the right to bring the annular grooves 133 into connection with the passages, then the cylinders 90 and 91 will be connected directly to the exhaust chamber and this exhaust chamber is connected through a pipe 134 with the receiving tank 9. The piston valve 132 is provided with a rod 135. The rods 135 and 127 slide in suitable bearings. These rods are actuated by the third rod 139 which is preferably connected to the friction clutch shifting lever of the main clutch of the vehicle. The rod 139 carries a pin 140 on which is mounted a pawl 141. This pawl is adapted to engage a notch 142 in the valve passage 119 leads from thevalve chamber to the rod 127. A pawl 143 is similarly mounted on the other side of the rod 139 and is adapted to engage a notch 144 on the rod 135. A. spring 145 is connected to the valve rod 127 and normally moves the valve 126 to the right, as viewed in Figs. 7 and 8. A spring 146 is connected to the valve rod 135 and normally holds the valve 132 moved to the left, as viewed in said figures. Thus both the supply valve and the exhaust valve are normally closed. In order that the valve r0ds135 and 127 may be disconnected from the actuating pawl, I have provided a plate 147 which is mounted on suitable rods, so that the same can be raised and lowered. This plate has suitable ledges 148, which are adapted to engage the pawls 141 and 143 and raise them from operative connection with the notches in the valve rods. Said plate 147 is raised by a lever 149, which is pivoted at 150 to a supporting bracket and the inner end of this lever is formed with a cam-shaped loop 151 which extends underneath the shoulders 152 mounted on a rod 153, which is attached to the plate 147. If this lever be moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 7, the loop 151, passing underneath the shoulders, will raise the plate and thus raise the pawls from engagement with the valve rods.

Operation of my device.

I prefer to use the oil as the operating fluid. This oil is admitted into the compression tank and the air put under compression. If the compression of the air is not sufficient through the pumping of the oil into the tank, the auxiliary pump P may be used for increasing the air pressure to the desired amount.

In starting the engine the clutch between the shaft 62 and the engine shaft is thrown into engagement, after which the hand controlled valve 59 is opened to permit the fluid under pressure to pass to the operating motor. The fluid passing through the pipes 53 and 85 will operate toshift the yoke to the right, as viewed in Figs. 3,5 and 6, and this movement 'ofthe yoke will cause the face clutches 64 and to come into engagement and directly connect the motor shaft with the engine shaft. The fluid also passing through the pipe 53' enters the motor through the. ports 54 and rotates the piston. carrier, thus rotating the motor shaft and starting the engine.

The abutments 38 will be properly positioned by this shifting of the yoke to permit the motor to turn in the proper direction for starting the engine. As soon as the engine starts up, the valve controlling the cylinder 82 is opened to the exhaust, which permits the spring 84 to shift the yoke anddisconnect the motor from d rect connection with the engine and connect the same thereto through the intermediate gearing by bringing the cone-shaped friction surfaces into engagement. This shifting of the yoke also reverses the abutments and places the same in position so that the motor will then run in the opposite direction as a pump and this will operate to return the fluid which has been delivered to the receiving tank 9 back again to the pressure tank 8, compressing the air therein and storing the power for use for again starting the engine. When the pressure in the tank reaches a predetermined amount, indicating that the fluid has been again transferred back to thetank, then the controlling valve 59 is closed and the engine shaft 62 is disconnected from the engine, thus rendering the pumping unit idle.

The rod 95 of the clutch shifting mechanism is preferably connected to the high speed gear transmission and the reverse transmission, while the rod 112 is connected to the second speed transmission and the slow speed transmission. If it is desired to connect the motor vehicle on slow speed, then the selecting valve 118 is positioned so as to connect the port 124 with a proper passage for moving the rod 112 to shift the gears into the low transmission. Assuming this is a movement of the rod 112 to the left, then the passage 122 will be connected to the intake port 124. A shifting of the friction clutch lever will move the rod 139 to the left, as viewed in this figure, and this, through the pawl 142, will shift the valve rod 127, opening the port 124 to the fluid under pressure in the tank 8. This fluid passing through the passage 122 into the cylinder 91 between thecentral piston and the piston at the right will force the central piston, together with the piston rod 112, to the left. The sleeve 116 moves with the piston rod and the inner adjustable sleeve will strike against the end plate 93 and limit the movement of the piston rod 112. By varying the projection of this inner sleeve from the outer sleeve, the stroke of the rod 112 will be varied.' A shifting of the valve rod 127 closes the port 124 and traps the fluid, so as to hold the rod 112 at this end of its stroke. A movement of the rod 139 in the opposite direction will shift the rod 135 through the action of' the pawl 143 and this will move the exhaust valve, so as to open the cylinder 91 to the exhaust and the springs will at once move the piston back to the central position in the cylinder. These springs are suficient to shift the clutches to neutral position, but are not suificient to prevent the proper action of the clutch shifting mechanism through the influence of the fluid under pressure. If it is desired to shift the friction clutch without controlling the transmission, the hand lever 149 may be turned so as to render the pawls inefl'ective as the rod139 shifts and this permits the clutch shifting mechanism to remain in the position set for the reason that the springs operating on the rods 127 and 135 normally hold the intake valve and the exhaust valve closed.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. A starting device for engines including in combination, a fluid opera-ted motor, means for directly connecting said motor to the engine for starting the same, means for connecting said motor to said engine through a reduction gearing for operating the same motor as a pump for storing said fluid under pressure for subsequent operations of the motor, said last named means including-devices for reversing the motor so that the same may operate asa pump.

2. A starting device for engines including in combination, a storage tank having a movable piston therein separatingv the tank into two compartments, a fluid operated motor connectedto said tan-k at one side of said piston, and means for connecting said motor to said engine, said tank having gas on the opposite side of said piston which may be compressed for storing power to move the piston to deliver the fluid to the motor under pressure, a receiving tank for the fluid exhausted by the motor, and means for operating the motor from the engine as a pump for returning the fluid from the receiving tank through the compression tank and storing power in the compressed gas for subsequent operations of the motor. 3. A starting devicefor engines including in combination, a storage tank having a movable piston therein separating the tank into two compartments, a fluid operated motor connected to said tank at one side of said piston, and means for connecting said motor to said engine, said tank having gas on the opposite side of said piston WhlCh may be compressed for storing power to move the piston to deliver the fluid to the motor under pressure, a receiving tank for the fluid exhausted by the motor, means for operating said motor through the reduction gearing as a pump by the engine for returning the fluid from the receiving tank through the compression tank and compressing the gas therein.

4. A starting device for engines including in combination, a rotary fluid operated motor, means for directly connecting said motor to said engine, means for supplying said motor with fluid under pressure, means whereby said motor may be automatically reversed and operated as a pump for storing the same fluid to be subsequently used for operating the motor.

5. A starting device for engines including in combination, a rotary motor having shifta'ble abutments whereby said motor may be reversed, a compression tank, a receiving tank, a movable piston in said tank, divid ing the same into compartments, one of which maybe used for compressed air and the other for a fluid to operate said motor, means for directly connecting said motor to said engine for starting the same, means for connecting said motor to said engine through a reduction gearing for operating the same as a pump to return the same fluid to the compression tank, and means for simultaneously shifting the abutments upon the reversing of the. motor.

6. A starting device for engines including in combination, a fluid operated motor, means whereby the same may be clutched directly 'to the engine shaft for starting the engine,

means whereby said motor may be connected to the engine through a reduction gearing and a friction clutch for operating the motor as a pump, fluid operated means for shifting the clutches between the motor and the engine and for shifting the abutments of the motor whereby the same may be reversed.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AMY C. PRIEST, CHAS. N. BARNEY.. 

